The No. 21 has an ominous connotation for the Orioles organization.
In 1988, the club set a major league record with the most consecutive losses to start a season, dropping their first 21 contests.
The Orioles had a chance for another dubious 21, but right-hander Dylan Bundy and relievers Donnie Hart and Mychal Givens made sure the Orioles avoided some infamy.
Heading into Saturday afternoon at Tropicana Field, the Orioles’ pitching staff had allowed five runs or more in 20 consecutive games – an American League record and a tie for the major league record set by the 1924 Philadelphia Phillies.
But Bundy pitched seven strong innings, allowing just three earned runs, Hart and Givens kept it scoreless after that and the Orioles’ offense exploded in an 8-3 win.
The Orioles also ended their three-game losing streak.
Beating a division rival on the road and receiving a quality start from Bundy (8-6, 3.73 ERA), who had struggled a little recently after being so good for much of the season, was way more important, of course, than sidestepping some obscure record.
But I’m sure the Orioles are all glad that 20-game albatross is over, too.
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Can't believe they actually laid down THREE successful bunts... and manufactured runs!! As the late Mel Allen would say, "How about that!!"
Ok, so now we know that they CAN do it... the question is, why don't they do it more often? THAT'S BASEBALL. Power is great, and we saw some of that today too... but real baseball is much more fun to watch!
I wouldn't say bunting is "real baseball" any more than hitting home runs is. As Earl Weaver said (and I'm paraphrasing), give me guys who can hit the ball over the fence.
But bunts can have their place, especially with guys who are otherwise poor hitters -- like Rickard and Janish in the 8th inning. And Machado's surprise bunt in the 7th worked out well, too. I don't think you'll see the Orioles start becoming a bunt-happy offense, but it worked out today.
True, I didn't necessarily mean just bunting... but I mean, they manufactured runs. They either got on base, or moved the runner over... and then, by putting the ball in play (as opposed to striking out) to have a fair chance of scoring the runs. That's baseball.
Manufacturing runs is absolutely real baseball and when the guys who hit them over the fence don't it's a necessity.
Now let's see if Tillman can keep the other team from manufacturing runs and hitting them over the fence.
Ummmmm.....I think bunting is in a way, more "real baseball" than hitting home runs. Bunting, stealing, hit & runs .. they call those things manufacturing runs today .. they used to call it strategy. Unfortunately that side of baseball has been all but lost on the modern fan, and that's a shame in my opinion.
But home runs make the ESPN highlight reels and bring in the fans. (heck I love 'em too) But why do you think the fences are soooo much closer to home plate in modern parks than they were 30 to 100 years ago? Why do you think the owners looked the other way while the players injected themselves with "vitamins"? Why do you think the modern strike zone is not the same strike zone that's in the rule book?
As far as Earl Weaver goes, he played small ball a LOT more than his reputation tells you he did. He didn't have short fences and 6 guys on his squad that could hit 30+ a year. Ask the Mark Belangers, Al Bumbrys, Bobby Grichs and Paul Blairs if they could bunt and play hit & run. I remember it a bit differently than him always waiting for the 3 run home run.
Yeah .. I think in a way, I believe small ball IS a bit more "real baseball" than today's Home Run Derby. Just my old man's dinosaur opinion. All that being said, I sure wish the O's would get back to knocking outfield walls down. Hah!
I go back to 1970. Memorial Stadium power alleys were 390' Weaver got them pulled in some.
The great pitchers the O's had in that era, may not have been as good today. example at the little league Camden Yards. I come to Baltimore once a year for three or four games at Camden it,s a pretty place. But, the dimensions are silly. There are ways 10 to 15 feet could be added in severall places.
Now , to this year I wasn't surprised when i seen the pitchers for the TOR series. Buck and the great DD don't want to try to win a game . UBALDO please.
ts